Bono not coming to town after all
Dan Steinberg & Chris carlson/The associated press
JOE LOFARO
METRO OTTAWA
Published: September 02, 2011 5:33 a.m.
Last modified: September 01, 2011 11:13 p.m.
LivingWorks Education Inc. surprised many Wednesday by announcing that U2 front man Bono and actor Colin Farrell would attend the World Suicide Prevention Day concert in Ottawa at Centrepointe Theatre. But it turns out the announcement was erroneous.
The London-based company that represents Bono, RMP, said Thursday that Bono is not attending. Farrell’s publicist also said that the report is false.
One of the concert’s organizers, Scott Chisholm, said he was told by the bassist of the Irish rock band Friends of Emmet that Bono would attend.
“I don’t know how direct the communication was, but it was confirmed with us through Keith Geraghty of Friends of Emmet that Bono will be coming,” said Chisholm, founder and CEO of Collateral Damage Project, one of the organizers of the event.
That tip led to the announcement by LivingWorks stating that both Bono and Farrell would attend the concert as guests. Chisholm acknowledged Thursday that he had a hard time selling tickets to the event.
“That’s the stigma that suicide brings,” he said. “That’s why we need the people in those seats.”
Tickets for the concert went on sale at the beginning of August, and City of Ottawa spokesperson Barre Campbell said about 100 tickets had been sold before Thursday. After the Bono announcement, though, the total had risen to 500 less than 24 hours later.
Campbell added that the city is accepting requests for refunds, which can be processed over the phone at 613-580-2700, or via ctboxoffice@ottawa.ca. No refunds have been requested so far, he said.
The event, which LivingWorks is presenting, will aim to de-stigmatize the dialogue around suicide and how to prevent it from happening. In a telephone interview, Susan Aglukark told Metro she will be performing, as will Friends of Emmet.
